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If you’ve recently sold a home, there are some things you need to know at this time of year.

When you sell your own home (or principal residence) you usually don’t have to pay tax on any profit from the sale. But what you might not know is that even if you are entitled to the principal residence exemption, you need to report the sale on your income tax and benefit return. This became mandatory in 2016.

It is also important to remember that on your tax return, you need to include income from property sales other than your principal residence. For example, if you sell a property you bought with the intention of re-selling it and you make a profit, your profit is taxable. If you bought a home to renovate and re-sell, or bought a pre-construction condo unit to re-sell, your profit is also taxable. In the case of the sale of a secondary home, such as a cottage or a rental property, there are also tax implications. In some situations, this profit is considered business income; in other situations, it is considered to be a capital gain. There may also be GST/HST implications.

In recent years, the Canada Revenue Agency has increasingly been identifying cases where taxpayers did not report their income from real estate transactions. The penalties and interest associated with unreported real estate sales can be substantial, so make sure you get some advice from a trusted source on how to report correctly if you are unsure.

If you didn’t fully declare this income on a past tax return, the Voluntary Disclosures Program at the Canada Revenue Agency may give you a second chance to correct your tax affairs.

In Toronto, most opportunities for new tree planting exist on private land. This means that residents, businesses, and institutions have an important role to play in growing and caring for our urban forest. Toronto Parks and Trees Foundation seeks to engage individuals across Toronto to do their part, through initiatives like Tree For Me. Tree For Me is a community-powered, backyard tree planting initiative that makes it easy for Toronto residents to get no-cost, native trees for their homes. Tree For Me is part of a city-wide effort to reach 40% urban tree cover in Toronto.

With funding from the City of Toronto, Tree For Me events are made possible by dedicated grants that stimulate and sustain community engagement in support of the City of Toronto’s Every Tree Counts movement. The result is more trees in our yards, more trees in our communities, and more trees in our city.

Tree For Me grants support inclusive, community-powered events hosted in neighbourhoods across Toronto. The Foundation provides eligible community organizations with grants up to $2000, along with trees and event planning resources to host local tree-matching and giveaway events for local residents. Corresponding tree care workshops equip Toronto residents to be knowledgeable and successful tree planters. These grants provide key resources to communities across Toronto and help to expand the urban tree cover by removing barriers to accessing trees.

Interested residents can sign up to get a FREE TREE for their homes at www.treeforme.ca/plant. Tree registration opens April 1, 2019.

Spring is the season of change, and this year YES TV is sharing epic stories from some of television’s biggest names and brightest stars.

The epic event drama A.D.: THE BIBLE CONTINUES is coming to YES TV. The 12-part television event picks up where the immensely popular miniseries THE BIBLE left off, exploring the inspiring, miraculous events following the Crucifixion of Christ.

The immediate aftermath of Christ’s death had a massive impact on his disciples,his mother Mary, and key political and religious leaders of the era, completely altering the entire world in an instant. Beginning at that fateful moment of the Crucifixion and the Resurrection, “A.D.: THE BIBLE CONTINUES” focuses on

the disciples who had to go forward and spread the teachings of Christ to a world dominated by political unrest and the start of a whole new religion that would dramatically reshape the history of the world. A.D.: THE BIBLE CONTINUES airs Fridays at 8pm, beginning March 22nd on YES TV.

Less than 500 years ago, the land we call Canada was inhabited by the First Nations alone. The Indigenous peoples of Canada, with their rich history and unique relationship with our country tell tales of discovery, hurt, hope and healing. The voices of Canada’s First People come to a new series, sharing uplifting stories of culture and reconciliation beginning this spring on YES TV.

ACROSS THE LAND, produced in partnership with Indigenous communities throughout Canada, follows host Crystal Lavallee as she explores how culture, faith and family guides their lives. This exclusive television docu-series joins the YES TV schedule weekly, this spring.

A child with Autism engages in an activity with his peers after music therapy with a certified music therapist. A woman with severe Alzheimer’s is coherent for two hours after each music therapy session with a certified music therapist, allowing her time to enjoy reminiscing with her daughter and three grandchildren. A man unable to speak due to a severe stroke says “I love you” to his wife again after music therapy with a certified music therapist. These are just a few ways that certified music therapists (MTAs) change the lives of the people with whom they work.

The term “music therapy” often evokes images of someone playing guitar while leading a sing along or listening to recordings with headphones. There are many therapeutic uses for music, however, the role of a certified music therapist is to use music and its elements purposefully to promote, maintain, and develop skills relating to physical, communicative, social, sensory, emotional, and cognitive domains.

Music has amazing effects on the brain, body, and soul. It engages people who otherwise are isolated. It evokes emotions and memories. And, when used purposefully by certified music therapists, music changes lives.

If you are interested in finding a certified music therapist the Music Therapy Association of Ontario can help!

Whether it’s providing funding to help a child get a wheelchair van lift so they can go out with their family, or offering them the chance to make new friends and try thrilling activities at our fully accessible summer camps, donations to Easter Seals Ontario enable kids with physical disabilities to focus on what they can do rather than on their limitations.

Easter Seals’ services include:

Funding for essential mobility and accessibility equipment

Fully accessible summer camps

Special education resources

Information resources for families

Your support matters.

It is only through the generous support of our donors that Easter Seals Ontario is able bring meaningful change to the lives of children and youth with physical disabilities.

hether moving your current practice or starting a new career as a Financial Advisor, here are just a few of compelling reasons to make the change:

FIRM-PROVIDED BRANCH AND OFFICE ADMINISTRATOREach of Edward Jones’ Financial Advisors has a firm-provided office and a Branch Office Administrator.

TRAINING AND SUPPORTEdward Jones supports all of their Financial Advisors with industry-leading training throughout their career. For new Financial Advisors, Edward Jones dedicates extensive professional resources to help them pass the required licensing exams, and provides financial support during the first four years of practice.

FREEDOM AND AUTONOMYEdward Jones’ Financial Advisors build their own practice in the community of their choice, delivering personalized investment solutions to all their clients.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITSAt Edward Jones, Financial Advisors have unlimited earning potential with a compensation package that includes opportunities for commissions, bonuses, profit sharing and incentive travel.

Edward Jones by the numbers: An impressive portfolio of over $1 trillion in assets under care, serving over 7 Million clients.*

To take the next step to become a Financial Advisor at Edward Jones apply at beanfa.ca/gta.

First Nations in Canada have some of the most powerful environmental rights in the world: but only if they can afford to uphold them in court. That’s where RAVEN (raventrust.com) comes in.

By standing with First Nations to donate, fundraise, and organize, we stopped Enbridge’s Northern Gateway pipeline. We quashed Kinder Morgan. We protected the Peel watershed. The legal actions we support have pushed back against open pit mining, protected millions of hectares of Yukon territory and slowed tar sands expansion. It’s time to stand strong, together, to uphold treaty rights and the rights of Indigenous Peoples: find out how you can be a strong ally at raventrust.com.

Like our namesake, the mythical trickster bird Raven, we take on challenges that very few are willing to tackle. By doing so, we are reshaping the legal landscape and transforming the future. Join us.

What is at stake for Indigenous Peoples is at stake for all of us — healthy water to drink, a liveable climate, and thriving ecosystems.

RAVEN is the only non-profit charitable organization in Canada that uses the power of the crowd to fund access to justice for Indigenous Peoples. When in court, First Nations are up against some of the best-funded corporations and governments in the world — but they’re still winning, time and time again.

We know that the game-changing legal challenges we support are the best way to fight back against reckless development and environmental devastation.

It’s time to put reconciliation into action. Support RAVEN: donate, fundraise, organize.